Tales of Symphonia: Darkness of our Souls
by The Burning Hunter
Summary: After the battle with Mithos it looked as if the world would be at peace. Little did anyone know that a new threat was lying inside one of the few who had unified the two worlds.


Well here goes, my first attempt at a ToS fic.

Warnings: This applies to the entire story, general warnings will be psoted by chapter in deemed nessacary. This piece of Literature is rated PG-13 (Or T) for graphic description and language. Though nothing more you'd see in something like Fullmetal Alchemist or a PG-13 movie. As you can probly tell from the title this is a darker fic, so if you're expecting sunshine and roses this isn't for you.

Dislaimer: This applies to the entire story, additional disclaimers will be posted as needed. Tales of Symphonia is and all related characters, places, worlds, items, techniques, and vehicles are copyright Namco. Dara , Daniel, and this story along with it's plot, and orginal ideas is copyright The Burning Hunter (Myself).

Diffrences between the N-sider Fourms version and this: The only diffrences so far are in a few word edits so it acceptible to the N-sider filtersfilters, any other notices will be posted accordingly.

Note: Lloyd's note appears as is, that means the spelling errors were on purpose. 

Tales of Symphonia

Darkness of our Souls

Episode 1: Confusion and Heartache, Lloyd's Nightmare and Raine's Doubt.

Darkness... That was all that surrounded him, all he could see. There was nothing and yet the nothingness was everything… except for one voice.

"Help me!"

Its shrill cry rang though his ears, he knew who it was, but all about him nothing existed! How could he answer that cry!

"Help!"

Where was she! Where was the person whose voice he heard! He needed too, no had to find her!

A shrill cry, screams, anguish, torture, he couldn't see anything, couldn't tell where the voice was. It seemed to come from nowhere and yet everywhere.

"Presea! Presea where are you!"

Another scream this one louder, and slowly dying off, death… he knew it, it was the only explanation, he had to hurry, had to save her from this darkness.

"Presea! No! Hang on, don't die!"

He tried, tried so hard to find her, running, anywhere trying to find the taciturn girl, rescue, comfort her.

"Lloyd!" Another voice broke though the darkness, faint but getting louder. "Lloyd Irving!" No he had to find Presea, she was going to die! But the darkness, the darkness…

---

"NO!"

Lloyd jumped up from his desk throwing his chair back and reaching for his swords, which weren't there. His breathing heavy, his forehead drenched in sweat, his eyes darting around as if searching. In front of him stood 15 of his bewildered classmates and his teacher, who had just thrown an eraser at him. Raine couldn't help but feel worried for Lloyd, he'd been acting strange for the last few weeks, but now…

"Lloyd are you alright?" His eyes struggled to focus on her an almost wild look in them

"P-Professor Sage?" It only took Raine a second to decide what to do next.

"Lloyd I want you to wait in the hall please."

Lloyd stood there for a moment trying to calm himself before he nodded, walking off, his arms shaking from the nightmare. Raine didn't waste a moment and immediately took charge of her students again.

"Class I want you to continue with your studies I'll be right back." The class quickly went back to their books, knowing their teacher, Professor Raine Sage was not to be defied, not unless you wanted a smack to the head or a boot to your chest.

Raine had a face that was easy on the eyes and very kind hearted if you caught her in a good mood. She stood at 5' 5" with an average build, blue eyes, and silver hair that flowed around her head and down to small of her neck, yet seemed slightly unkempt.. She wore clothes that hid her figure, but gave an air of wisdom about her, and upon her feet she wore boots, which if you were unlucky enough to make her mad you'd be under. At first glance Raine seemed like human, but in reality she was a Half-elf, the product of an Elf mother and a Human father. The only way one could learn however, this was upon inspection of her ears, which for that matter looked like an Elf's, or upon witnessing her healing abilities.

She walked into the hallway to see Lloyd pacing back and forth. She had never seen him, the Eternal Swordsman, the gentle idealist like this before…. And it worried her.

Raine took a moment to study Lloyd. He stood at 5' 8"… or at least he would be if he wasn't hunched over. His short brown hair which usually flowed to the right side of his head was now matted now and stuck to his head, His Red jumpsuit caught the attention of many whom he passed, with it's many buttons and black overall pants. His reddish brown boots were perfect for walking from through the Iselia

Forest, which he walked through everyday to go home. The youth that now stood before her was but a shell of the great hero he was.

"Lloyd, what's wrong? You've been acting oddly for the past couple of weeks." She paused for a moment trying to think what was wrong with her pupil, and also her leader. "did something happen at home.?"

Lloyd shook his head quickly and Raine felt relived. Lloyd and Dirk sometimes got into spats, but she didn't think he would ever throw Lloyd out, or seriously harm him.

"N-no professor I.. It's.. she…" Raine placed her hands on his shoulders trying to calm him. Whatever it was he was obviously very shaken up about it.

"Lloyd I want you to go to my house, alright? We can talk there." She could see the hopefulness in Lloyd's eyes, but he seemed hesitant. "Lloyd, it's okay. I just want to make sure you're alright." He slowly nodded his voice a bit shaky

"Y-yeah.. sure Professor." She let him go and he quickly headed out. However Raine was still worried, It looked as if Lloyd had seen Isealia burned to the ground again, or… Raine put that thought aside for the moment, there would be time for hypothosiss later, right now she needed to take care of her class

Raine strode into the class with a strong face, hiding what was really worrying her at the moment.

"Okay class that's enough for today I'm going to let you go early, so your homework is to finish reading what we didn't go over in class. We'll discuss it tomorrow." The class groaned almost in unison and Raine couldn't help but smile inwardly, her students weren't the exactly Palmacosta Academy grade, but they were hers, and that's all that mattered to her.

The Palmacosta Academy… That reminded Raine of her little brother, Genis Sage. The little warlock had gone to Sybak to study. While him and Raine were going to travel the world trying to stop the racism against half-elves they were waiting for Presea who went back to Ozette. She was going to go with Lloyd to destroy the Exspheres, however she wanted to go to her former home first. Genis didn't want to let her go alone so he went with her and decided to wait in Sybak. She thought it was really cute that he had a crush on the Axman… cute? That was definitely something new.

Speaking of cute, Colette Brunel, the chosen of Sylvarant, had gone to Meltokio as the ambassador for Sylvarant, she was working with Zelos to promote peace between two worlds. She had to wonder how the tiny angle was putting up with the magical swordman's advances on her. The again how most men could resist such a cute and innocent face…. There it was again. Cute! The only thing Raine used to think was appealing to the eyes were ruins, however since coming to peace with her mother, Virgina and herself that had begun to change. Now that she thought about it the word had a nice sound to it. Cute… cute, cute, cute, cute, cute! Raine couldn't help but giggle slightly, but was rushed back to reality as someone pulled on her pant leg. She looked down to see a 5 year old looking at her with confusion.

"Teacher, are you okay?" Raine couldn't help but feel a light blush rise to her face from the embarrassment she was feeling right now. She kneeled down and patted the young girls head.

"Yes Dara I'm ok, you go and hurry home now." The young girl giggled and gave her teacher a quick hug before scampering out the door. Raine took a moment to think about her students. She was the only teacher in Isealia so she had students of all ages, 17 year olds like Lloyd, and 5 year olds like Dara. It made teaching more difficult… but all the more rewarding.

However with those rewards came great heartbreaks. Raine couldn't help but think back on some of those as she locked up and started towards her house. There was the obvious sadness of seeing a student leave the village or "graduate" from Raine's class. While it was rewarding to see them leave… it also left an empty space in Raine's heart. However, like a parent, the relationship between teacher and student was one forged in flames mightier than even Efreet could summon and when those bonds broke it could devastate. One particular incident came to mind that almost brought tears to Raine's eyes, the wounds still fresh.

A young 11 year old boy, Daniel, was helping his father fell some trees for firewood and building material when the tree began to fall towards him. The boy's father tired to warn him but it was too late. Death had been quick to claim him, that much was certain, but what came next was what shattered Raine. While a few in the village believed it was no accident, for the most part everyone knew it was an accident. They had even asked Raine to check and give her opinion and while she was no expert on the laws of gravity she knew that there was nothing he could have done. Even so a few still believed he was to blame, though these were the secretive ones and the gossipers, but the combination of his sorrow and these villagers drove him over the edge. He had committed suicide that night with his own axe, right in front of his daughter and wife. The wife, unable to bear two deaths, fled the village running into the woods. Raine had been woken up that night by a soft pounding on her door, and there she found Dara, coved in blood from trying to wake her father from death's icy grip. That sight haunted Raine's memory even today, but what came next made even her, the calm and rational cleric sick.

Dara had taken her to her house, begging Raine to help her father, when they got there Raine froze in horror at the gruesome sight. The living room was a literal bloodbath.. Dara's father had buried the axe deep into his chest, the resulting wound spraying blood everywhere. Raine couldn't even make it outside the door, she had just fallen to her knees and regurgitated her dinner right there on the floor. Only more pain though came as she heard Genis scream, he had followed her it seemed after noticing it was very cold in the house on account the door was open. Before Raine could even say anything he had run all the way back to the house screaming in terror and waking up everyone in the village, the sight of all the blood causing him to wet himself. All Raine could remember from there was the confusion of everyone rushing about her and around the village looking for Dara's mother as she held the wailing girl. Raine brought the girl home that night and bathed her, trying to get the blood off of her. Dara eventually fell into a fitful sleep in Raine's arms, emotionally exhausted yet shedding tears and sniffling from time to time. Genis hadn't slept that night, on account he was so scared from what he saw, and Raine from sobbing over the pain in her heart. She couldn't imagine why a parent would kill themselves in front of their own child, even her own mother, despite the fact she had sent both her children to another world for better lives, wasn't that cruel.

Dara's mother's body was found a few days later in the woods, mauled by some kind of animal, however Raine had found something the others didn't on the body: a whip mark. It was very faint, but there. She's didn't fall victim to a wild animal, she was murdered by Desians, at least that's how Raine saw it. She never revealed that fact to anyone due to the non-aggression treaty with the Human Ranch, even if they knew it would only cause unrest in the village. After that it was decided that Dara would stay with Raine temporarily until they could decide who would take the girl in. Raine quickly agreed to care for her pupil, seeing as she wouldn't talk to anyone or let anyone near her but her teacher, and the fact Raine had already canceled classes indefinitely while she too dealt with the grief and heartbreak she felt. Dara did move out, but she never did find a home of any kind, she was constantly shifted around from family to family, but she always came to visit Raine whenever she was troubled or something was wrong. That was over a year ago. Currently Dara lived with Frank and Phiadra, seeing as how Colette would be gone for some unknown time ad they had an extra room now, but it still pained Raine to see the girl shuttled around like a piece of property. She wanted to take her in, she really did, but she didn't have the means to care for her, and there was also the issue of her journeying with the chosen and now her journey to stop the discrimination against half elves. Dara had been so sad when she left, but Raine promised her she'd come back and she did, but soon she would have to leave again.

Now that Raine thought back upon the entire incident things began to make a little more sense to her. Dara's father was not well liked in the village due to his opposition to the non-aggression treaty in the first place, and Dara's mother was not the healthiest of women and she had just lost her own parents a few months. The grief from losing their son and Dara's mother her husband must have driven them to despair and finally….

Raine's thoughts came to an abrupt halt as she stood before the door to her house. Dara had been taken care of, and while Martel… no Martel was no goddess, she was Mithos' sister. While no one knew what scars Dara carried with her emotionally and mentally, Raine had been there for her, and now there was another student of hers that needed help: Lloyd.

Raine slowly pushed the door open and peered inside to see Lloyd sitting at her table, head down and saying nothing. She couldn't help but feel renewed worry for him as she locked the door and sat down across from him.

"Lloyd, what is it? Lloyd said nothing, hesitating almost, the look on his face clearly hiding something that was scaring even him.

"Lloyd please, I'm worried about you." Lloyd slowly opened his mouth a few times trying to get the words out, yet none would come, finally he just hung his head seemingly doing nothing for a few minuets until Raine finally noticed the moisture that was running down Lloyd's face and dripping onto her table.

"Lloyd…." Seeing her pupil this shaken up scared Raine. In all the time she knew Lloyd she didn't think she ever saw him cry, even during their journey. He had been bothered by many things but never to the point of tears.

"I can't stop thinking about her.. I promised I wouldn't leave her behind I promised professor… and now… now something… something…" Raine could only sit there frozen as Lloyd completely broke down, sobbing now, she wanted to help him to do something! Yet deep inside her part of her fought, telling her it wasn't right she shouldn't do it…

Raine finally made up her mind, she stood and walked over kneeling down next to Lloyd and wrapping her arms around him, her teaching… no her maternal instincts wining out over the rational side of her. Lloyd looked up towards her confusion on his sobbing face.

"Professor?" Raine just held him her voice calm and soothing

"It's okay Lloyd... It's okay…." Lloyd just buried his face into her shoulder as Raine held him tightly and protectively.

Lloyd eventually calmed down and just laid against Raine, enjoying her warm embrace… at least for a moment before pulling away and looking down obviously embarrassed..

"Professor… I'm…" Raine just shook her head looks more concerned than anything else.

"Lloyd, its okay, if anything I'm probably the one who should be apologizing.." Lloyd looked at her a little confused

"Why? You didn't do anything wrong… I'm the one who just crossed the line…" Raine closed her eyes sighing slightly. Lloyd looked at her worry and confusion.

"Professor? What do you mean 'Crossed the line'?" Raine looked at him yet keeping her eyes averted.

"I just crossed the line between a teacher and a student… again…" Lloyd looked at her for a moment trying to think what she meant by "again", then it hit him.

"You mean Dara?" Raine nodded slightly, recalling the guilt she still carried in her from that incident.

"Yes Lloyd… I crossed the line with her as well… butt his isn't the time for that." She looked at Lloyd still worried for him. "What's bothering you? I've never seen you like this. Who can't you stop thinking of?" Lloyd lowers his head saying nothing for a moment then speaking, still looking disturbed.

"It's.. It's Presea… She hasn't come back and she's not responding to my letters" Raine looked at Lloyd as he tensed obviously this was only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. "Lately though… I've been having dreams… I haven't… been able to sleep…" Raine could see his knuckles turn white and all the color drain from his face, he looked on the verge of breaking down again. "Every time… Every single time I close my eyes she's there… Cold, scared, lonely…" Raine could see his shoulders starting to heave and his breathing becoming shaky.

"Lloyd it's okay, you don't have to say anything else." Lloyd shook his head slowly and looked up at Raine with terror filled eyes causing Raine's heart to skip a beat.

"No Professor… I need.. to tell someone…" Raine nodded slightly, her heart crying out to just take the boy in her arms and comfort him. The look in his eyes striking both fear for Presea, and concern for Lloyd's well being. "Today… in class I could hear her… crying out… pleading for help… but I couldn't… I could find her!" Raine jumped slightly from the sudden change in Lloyd's voice, "She was dying and couldn't do a thing! All because of the darkness! The darkness!" Lloyd broke down, hysterical and unable to go on.

Raine quickly moved over to Lloyd, wrapping her arms around him again and holding him tightly. To hell with her responsibilities as a teacher! Right now Lloyd needed someone, someone to hold him, to comfort him, to tell him things would be ok. He needed a mother and right now, Raine was all he had. Lloyd leaned into her sobbing into her chest, releasing his pent up fear, anger, frustration, and guilt, and for the first time in a long while, deep inside part of Lloyd felt safe, secure, and loved.

---

Raine sighed as she walked home from school the next day, some days her students could just rub her the wrong way. Today they just seemed so loud and disruptive, then again after yesterday she was probably a little irritable. She'd have to apologize to them tomorrow, right now though she just wanted to go home and check on Lloyd.

Lloyd had actually cried himself to sleep in her arms. She didn't blame him, when she had finally found out the truth about her own mother she had cried herself to sleep as well, relived somewhat that she didn't send her away to spite her, but to save her and Genis. The knowledge that her mother did love her, even if she was now insane because of her broken heart, allowed her to put the rest all the hatred and spite she had for her and finally to be at peace with herself.

Raine had debated if she should let Lloyd stay the night, but after seeing him sleeping somewhat peacefully she had decided not to wake him. However after getting him into Genis' bed with some difficulty Raine had found herself unable to sleep. She kept thinking about her own mother and what she had just done. The thoughts and feelings she had when holding Lloyd close to her, she had felt like a mother then… and she knew she couldn't go back to being his teacher, and somewhere deep inside part of her didn't want to. Upon awakening this morning and finding Lloyd still out she decided to let him take the day off and rest. She wrote him a note saying she was going to school and that he could

Raine entered her house to find it… clean? She looked around making sure this was her house. Yep it was there were her books, neatly put away, her staff sitting by the door, her clothes neatly hug up… her clothes! Raine quickly moved to her dresser and opened a few drawers to find them untouched, it seemed Lloyd had enough sense to leave her undergarments alone… that or he saw them then quickly closed the drawer in embarrassment. The rest of the house though was spotless, and there was even a meal sitting on her table. Lloyd however was nowhere to be found.

Deciding he must have went home Raine sat down at the table after setting her pile of homework on her now neatened desk. Lloyd had made her some stew along with a freshly squeezed glass of Orange Juice. Raine couldn't help but smile and tasted the stew… It was fabulous! Finally! Something other than her abysmal cooking, and it was still warm! Which meant Lloyd hadn't left too long ago.

"Thank you Lloyd." Raine couldn't help but smile and started to eat… that is if she hadn't of noticed the piece of paper that was under the bowl she would have. Carefully moving the bowl aside Raine picked up the paper. It was a note, and it was defiantly written by Lloyd, no one else could have made this many spelling mistakes save a few of her younger students and they had no reason to be here.

_Profesor, _

_Thank you for what you did yestrday and last nite. I really needed someone to talk too, and to just let out evrything. It also felt kind of nice being held by you, thoh I wonder why you did it. It seems so unlike you. I wanted to thank you so enjoy your clean howse, stew, and juce._

_Lloyd_

Raine shook her head lightly, she didn't really know why she really held him either, it just seemed needed. Raine set the note face down and was about to begin eating her stew again when she noticed there was something written on the back. With a sinking suspicion Raine picked the note up again, knowing she wasn't going to like this.

_Profesor, plese don't be mad, but I've desided to go and look for Preseu. I have to be sure she's alrite and plese don't follow me. I need to do this alone. I'll be fine so don't wory about me._

Don't worry? How could she not worry! She had held him yesterday as he cried his heart out! She swore the next time she saw Lloyd…! Raine sighed and rested her face on her hands. Why couldn't she have a good day for once? Well there was no sense in fretting about it, what was done was done. Raine knew Lloyd was strong there was no doubt about that, it's whether or not he wouldn't be overwhelmed was her concern.

Raine started to stand to go lie down and rest when her eye caught the stew, sitting there still relatively uneaten. She looked at her bed then the stew, her bed then the stew again and sighed sitting back down.

"He did say to enjoy it…"

After a few bites and a sip of the juice Raine decide she wouldn't hurt Lloyd too badly when she next saw him.

---

A young girl sat deep in the woods, at least to anyone she appeared a young girl of about 12. She appeared to be close to death as she leaned against a large sacred tree. Her pink hair which was usually in pigtails was down, the usually vibrant hair dull and mattered with dirt and mud. Her face and arms were scratched and cut in many places. Her clothes torn and dirty and her gauntlets stained with blood. Tried and hungry most children would have cried for their parents, but this was no girl and she cried for a different reason.

How long had she been out here? A week? A month? She couldn't remember, all that clouded her mind was her throbbing head, it hurt, it hurt so badly. She brought the bloody gauntlets up and gripped her head, feeling another wave of pain course through her.

"No! Not again!" she couldn't take this, not again! She shook her head trying to fight the pressure, but it was too much, she couldn't… she couldn't…

"Lloyd!"

---

Next Episode

Raine: Lloyd heads off to in search of Presea and decides to head to Altimira and ask Regal for clues. Learning she has gone to Ozette Lloyd rushes off, but what awaits him will fill him with even more despair and confusion

Next time on Tales of Symphonia: Darkness of our Souls

Episode 2: The Child for Whom Time Stopped, The Return of Presea Combatir


End file.
